Hello Jenny, Sorry to hear that you have not been well lately. I hope things are looking up for you now. I share your enthusiasm for Gresley A4 Pacific locomotives. However, I consider another design has never been satisfactorily covered by the model trade. That is the Bullied re-built West Country and Battle of Britain class. Yes, Hornby Dublo and Wrenn both had a reasonably good representation for their time. Hornby introduced a revised version many years ago. However, theirs had a plastic boiler molded in two halves with an obviously visible weld line running horizontally along either side. The prototype was a hugely successful design with a wide route availability. It was one of the last locomotives still operational at the end of steam. It's popular with enthusiasts with many, fortunately, preserved. So, why, I wonder, has there never been a totally satisfactory rebuilt Bullied when there is a huge range of other designs - some quite obscure and others, like the A4 and GWR Manor duplicated, by competing model manufacturers?
Jennifer, I enjoy the diction, accent and vocal style. I always learn something and you have inspired me to DCC my split-chassis 03 and re-visit some older locos with sticky motion, to dig deeper. You give a welcome feminine viewpoint and a youthful one too. You are the future! Makes one wonder what else the BBC report on is blown up out of all proportion - oh, yes, my old employer - Rover.
Hi Jenny. Sorry to hear your illness has lingered. I enjoy your videos, and the reviewing of locos is one of my favourite types. Sharing the casting of your expert eye over what's available out there really does help us enthusiasts decide on where to invest our money. And you're right: the hobby is thriving! Just look at the subscriber/viewing stats for good quality YT channels like yours. Traditional clubs may be in decline (but far from dead), but virtual clubs are in very good health. I was very pleasantly surprised at the amount of model railway content available when I returned to the hobby a few years ago. Keep up the good work.
Hello Jenny. Glad you’re on the mend. Interesting fault finding with the Fowler 4P. Had exactly the same problem with a Hornby Princess and an 0-4-0 tank, split final drive pinion. Sad to say, couldn’t get a replacement for the Princess from Hornby (out of stock or whatever) so ended up having to buy a new set of driving wheels just to get the pinion. No doubt, someone will now tell me where I could have found one. Have to say, a very impressive lineup of A4’s. Must be a difficult decision on which one to run! Heaven only knows how many times I’ve tried to estimate the number of locos you must have on your shelves. Perhaps a “guess the loco count” competition in the offing!
Interesting catch up - get well soon! You only need to get another 11 A4s to have as many as the entire LNER fleet! I recently picked up a Hornby County class and a Bachmann class 47. The county is a bit old with an odd and slightly noisy Ringfield motor in the loco body but there was room in there for a small hardwired Train-O-Matic decoder. It runs well despite the motor growl!
Jen , its people like you that keep the hobbie alive . Weekly videos and the Monday club . you can still get parts for that hornby tank it is well worth fixing up mine is a great runner but I had to replace pickups gears and re-quarted . The paper stuck on patches to isolate the pickups leave allot to be desired mine fell off ..that was fun to figure out . My Best To you ansd Zoe ...
Some nice finds here, shame the Fowler tank has had some issues though. I'm sure many will miss Hattons, shame I never got a chance to visit that shop.
Love your A4 fleet, I recently got Golden Fleece too, a must have for us A4 fans. You always have something engaging & interesting to say in your vids, so stay well & keep enjoying things!
I was laid up all last week with the flu and my voice is now like Lemmy’s. Hope you are on the mend. Odd to read it’s finally the end for Hattons. That was quick!
Good video. I have that Fowler 4mt that you bought. There is no loco number on the smokebox, so either the prototype didn't have it or Hornby didn't print it. The pickups on mine are not that brilliant, I got over the issue by adding really good "stay alive " now it works great. Hornby have just released the LMS red one which does work well, so obviously when they are new they work ok. I think I also replaced the motor on my old one. I too prefer the Hornby 4 pin connector, but they changed it so they can connect more wires between loco and tender because at the moment there is no way to control the firebox glow as the decoder is in the tender and no wire to connect to the firebox glow led. That new Hornby connector is quite robust I have pulled mine apart a lot to add coal to the tender. I have 4 locos with it fitted and I have had no issues, but long term I suspect the plastic will fail.
I shall miss Hattons. I had a lot of stuff from them. I was useful for things like point motors, paints and such like. The last thing I had from them was the Azuma. Best price I could find. My local model shop where I bought my first train set closed down in July 2023. He was quite an affable chap in there, but his prices were completely, unrealistic,. £100 more than Hattons. I used to enjoy going in the model shop, but I could buy very little in there. I would usually come out with something such as a truck, a tree, or a tunnel mouth'! Thanks for uploading.
I see the Bachmann version has flanged pony wheels and I presume the truck is articulated. I wish Hornby oilfield do the same as I find the flangeless wheels cause shorts on double slips.
Hi Jenny thats really a very impressive A4 collection. See you Monday on the monday club. Get well soon! I find that garlic helps (unless youre Dracula, of course)
I definitely like the way Bachmann has the "sliding" wheels (with flanges) on the Cartazzi truck! Wheels that operate on a railway track MUST have flanges to look realistic! Plus, they stay on the track around curves...duh...the Hornby versions, with their "hovering" flangeless wheels around curves looks ridiculous...sometimes they don't even turn while running, as, sometimes they don't even touch the track!. Cudos to Bachmann for their SENSIBLE design work 👍
Hi Jenny nice to hear you sounding a lot better, just wanted to say I am really enjoying Bringing Home The Stars, and i wondered if you have a bibliography published anywhere so I can buy some more, also enjoying this video as well. \kind regards Mark
I have bought a number of Hornby Railroad models and i find they are ok for 6 coaches or limited wagons general running This allows me to buy full price locos for heavy loads or shunting TT is too small for my old eyes/hands- not sure its good in the long run if they only have full price locos
My last Hattons order turned up yesterday. It was a Bachmann Class 170 DMU in the old London Midland livery. Considering that the hobby has recovered from Modelzone's closure in 2013, I hope that it can recover from Hattons' closure, but that doesn't make the situation any less tragic.
Hi Great video, as usual. I was particularly interested in the V1/3 that you fitted the new Hornby decoder into. I have recently purchased one of these all but in LNER colours and a next 18 decoder. So was wondering which, if any, sound file you put on it.
My last order from Hatton's was also my first, as I bought two garretts from them which I was looking for at least one of them for three years but my timing was always terrible and they were always out of stock
Oh, Jenny! You and your A4's. 2 dozen of em? Nice video and a sad thought, your final Hattons buy. I need to find a good supplier that can send stuff to Australia at a not too ridiculous cost. Any good ideas? I've dealt with AJMrailways in the past with good results but the range is relatively small. Hope you recover from your illness quickly. Cheers!
Sorry Jenny, didn't have a clue you're a fan of Gresley A4's!! Next you'll be telling people you like class 08 shunters.. I bought an 08528 some years ago for £35. I also have an ancient tender drive Seagull, but that's about it on the LNER pacific front, apart from a Hornby Tornado..
The Fowler is a problematic model, particularly the power pickups. From memory, power transfer on one pole is through the chassis. So problematic I removed the motor and pickups and made into a dummy. I avoided these afterwards no matter how inexpensive they may have been.
Great video Jenny. Sorry to hear you’ve not been well. Thanks for all you do for the hobby. Roy.
Hello Jenny, Sorry to hear that you have not been well lately. I hope things are looking up for you now. I share your enthusiasm for Gresley A4 Pacific locomotives. However, I consider another design has never been satisfactorily covered by the model trade. That is the Bullied re-built West Country and Battle of Britain class. Yes, Hornby Dublo and Wrenn both had a reasonably good representation for their time. Hornby introduced a revised version many years ago. However, theirs had a plastic boiler molded in two halves with an obviously visible weld line running horizontally along either side. The prototype was a hugely successful design with a wide route availability. It was one of the last locomotives still operational at the end of steam. It's popular with enthusiasts with many, fortunately, preserved. So, why, I wonder, has there never been a totally satisfactory rebuilt Bullied when there is a huge range of other designs - some quite obscure and others, like the A4 and GWR Manor duplicated, by competing model manufacturers?
I suspect as long as it keeps selling well they have little impetus to retool it.
Jennifer, I enjoy the diction, accent and vocal style. I always learn something and you have inspired me to DCC my split-chassis 03 and re-visit some older locos with sticky motion, to dig deeper. You give a welcome feminine viewpoint and a youthful one too. You are the future! Makes one wonder what else the BBC report on is blown up out of all proportion - oh, yes, my old employer - Rover.
aside from the p class i have pre-ordered my other purchase from hattons was a spare drive set for the LMS garret
Nice!
Hi Jenny. Sorry to hear your illness has lingered.
I enjoy your videos, and the reviewing of locos is one of my favourite types. Sharing the casting of your expert eye over what's available out there really does help us enthusiasts decide on where to invest our money.
And you're right: the hobby is thriving! Just look at the subscriber/viewing stats for good quality YT channels like yours. Traditional clubs may be in decline (but far from dead), but virtual clubs are in very good health. I was very pleasantly surprised at the amount of model railway content available when I returned to the hobby a few years ago.
Keep up the good work.
Hello Jenny. Glad you’re on the mend.
Interesting fault finding with the Fowler 4P. Had exactly the same problem with a Hornby Princess and an 0-4-0 tank, split final drive pinion. Sad to say, couldn’t get a replacement for the Princess from Hornby (out of stock or whatever) so ended up having to buy a new set of driving wheels just to get the pinion. No doubt, someone will now tell me where I could have found one.
Have to say, a very impressive lineup of A4’s. Must be a difficult decision on which one to run! Heaven only knows how many times I’ve tried to estimate the number of locos you must have on your shelves. Perhaps a “guess the loco count” competition in the offing!
Interesting catch up - get well soon! You only need to get another 11 A4s to have as many as the entire LNER fleet! I recently picked up a Hornby County class and a Bachmann class 47. The county is a bit old with an odd and slightly noisy Ringfield motor in the loco body but there was room in there for a small hardwired Train-O-Matic decoder. It runs well despite the motor growl!
Jen , its people like you that keep the hobbie alive . Weekly videos and the Monday club . you can still get parts for that hornby tank it is well worth fixing up mine is a great runner but I had to replace pickups gears and re-quarted . The paper stuck on patches to isolate the pickups leave allot to be desired mine fell off ..that was fun to figure out . My Best To you ansd Zoe ...
Thank you!
Some nice finds here, shame the Fowler tank has had some issues though. I'm sure many will miss Hattons, shame I never got a chance to visit that shop.
Love your A4 fleet, I recently got Golden Fleece too, a must have for us A4 fans. You always have something engaging & interesting to say in your vids, so stay well & keep enjoying things!
Just got my last box from hattons with hornby buildings, decoders and ABC modules along with some die cast
Great haul!
I was laid up all last week with the flu and my voice is now like Lemmy’s.
Hope you are on the mend. Odd to read it’s finally the end for Hattons. That was quick!
It did come quick.
Good video. I have that Fowler 4mt that you bought. There is no loco number on the smokebox, so either the prototype didn't have it or Hornby didn't print it. The pickups on mine are not that brilliant, I got over the issue by adding really good "stay alive " now it works great. Hornby have just released the LMS red one which does work well, so obviously when they are new they work ok. I think I also replaced the motor on my old one. I too prefer the Hornby 4 pin connector, but they changed it so they can connect more wires between loco and tender because at the moment there is no way to control the firebox glow as the decoder is in the tender and no wire to connect to the firebox glow led. That new Hornby connector is quite robust I have pulled mine apart a lot to add coal to the tender. I have 4 locos with it fitted and I have had no issues, but long term I suspect the plastic will fail.
I shall miss Hattons. I had a lot of stuff from them. I was useful for things like point motors, paints and such like. The last thing I had from them was the Azuma. Best price I could find. My local model shop where I bought my first train set closed down in July 2023. He was quite an affable chap in there, but his prices were completely, unrealistic,. £100 more than Hattons. I used to enjoy going in the model shop, but I could buy very little in there. I would usually come out with something such as a truck, a tree, or a tunnel mouth'! Thanks for uploading.
I see the Bachmann version has flanged pony wheels and I presume the truck is articulated. I wish Hornby oilfield do the same as I find the flangeless wheels cause shorts on double slips.
The Hornby one comes with a flanged replacement set, but fitting it limits the track radius it can traverse.
Hi Jenny thats really a very impressive A4 collection. See you Monday on the monday club. Get well soon! I find that garlic helps (unless youre Dracula, of course)
I definitely like the way Bachmann has the "sliding" wheels (with flanges) on the Cartazzi truck! Wheels that operate on a railway track MUST have flanges to look realistic! Plus, they stay on the track around curves...duh...the Hornby versions, with their "hovering" flangeless wheels around curves looks ridiculous...sometimes they don't even turn while running, as, sometimes they don't even touch the track!. Cudos to Bachmann for their SENSIBLE design work 👍
Hi Jenny nice to hear you sounding a lot better, just wanted to say I am really enjoying Bringing Home The Stars, and i wondered if you have a bibliography published anywhere so I can buy some more, also enjoying this video as well. \kind regards Mark
What a splendid collection! I love the A4 locomotives.
The word you’re looking for is quartet!
I have bought a number of Hornby Railroad models and i find they are ok for 6 coaches or limited wagons general running
This allows me to buy full price locos for heavy loads or shunting
TT is too small for my old eyes/hands- not sure its good in the long run if they only have full price locos
Hope ur feeling fully better soon . Fine informative video 10/10
A Stunning Model of Golden fleece
My last Hattons order turned up yesterday. It was a Bachmann Class 170 DMU in the old London Midland livery.
Considering that the hobby has recovered from Modelzone's closure in 2013, I hope that it can recover from Hattons' closure, but that doesn't make the situation any less tragic.
Hi Jenny, I'm fairly sure that the DCC blanking plug you showed on 67690 is a home made DIY job and definitely not OEM. Get well soon.
Hi
Great video, as usual. I was particularly interested in the V1/3 that you fitted the new Hornby decoder into. I have recently purchased one of these all but in LNER colours and a next 18 decoder. So was wondering which, if any, sound file you put on it.
I think I chose the 2P sound file, but actually something like the A3 or B12 might work better.
Hi Jenny
Thanks for that, will try it out
My last order from Hatton's was also my first, as I bought two garretts from them which I was looking for at least one of them for three years but my timing was always terrible and they were always out of stock
Hi Jenny 9A was Lonsight, Manchester..lol
Thanks
Hi Jenny, could you tell me if the running plate on the A4 Golden Fleece is metal? And how does it run? Keep up the great work - thank you!
Get well soon Jenny
hello Jennifer & it's is Randy and i like yours Video is cool & Thanks Jennifer Friends Randy
Just got a bachmann 47 drs dulx sound verson 240 pounds new 😊😊😊😊
Oh, Jenny! You and your A4's. 2 dozen of em? Nice video and a sad thought, your final Hattons buy.
I need to find a good supplier that can send stuff to Australia at a not too ridiculous cost. Any good ideas?
I've dealt with AJMrailways in the past with good results but the range is relatively small.
Hope you recover from your illness quickly. Cheers!
Hi Jenny
So you want to know what people have picked up recently
Well I just got Ellis Clark’s new o gauge black 5 Eric Tracy to run on my NYMR layout
Nice!
Brilliant video
I think 4 = tetralogy
Interesting. Thanks
Oh come on Jenny, we all know 4 is a Tetris!
Trust you to bring games in!
Sorry Jenny, didn't have a clue you're a fan of Gresley A4's!! Next you'll be telling people you like class 08 shunters.. I bought an 08528 some years ago for £35. I also have an ancient tender drive Seagull, but that's about it on the LNER pacific front, apart from a Hornby Tornado..
Shame about the faulty Fowler you'll have to call it Basil!
Is hamster Mr Fawlty!
Buy 2 more call them sysbil,manual
The Fowler is a problematic model, particularly the power pickups. From memory, power transfer on one pole is through the chassis. So problematic I removed the motor and pickups and made into a dummy. I avoided these afterwards no matter how inexpensive they may have been.